Review: Friday Night Bites by Chloe Neill

Friday Night Bites by Chloe Neill

Chicagoland Vampires #2

Vamps in Chicago!

You'd think headlines like that would have provoked the fine citizens of the Windy City to take up arms against us bloodsucking fiends. Instead, ten months later, we're enjoying a celebrity status reserved for the Hollywood elite—fending off paparazzi only slightly less dangerous than cross and stake-wielding slayers. Don't get me wrong, Joe Public isn't exactly thrilled to be living side-by-side with the undead, but at least they haven't stormed the castle yet.

But all that will change once they learn about the Raves—mass feeding parties where vampires round up humans like cattle and drink themselves silly. Most civilized vampires frown on this behavior, putting mere mortals at ease with their policy of asking a person's consent before taking a big gulp of the red stuff. However, that doesn't make good copy for a first time reporter looking to impress his high society family.

So now my "master," the centuries old, yet gorgeously well-preserved Ethan Sullivan, wants me to reconnect with my own upper class family and act as liaison between humans and vampires—and keep the more unsavory aspects of our existence out of the media. But someone doesn't want people and vamps to play nicey-nice—someone with an ancient grudge.

Merit has been a vampire for two months now and is still trying to come to terms with this idea. To protect her house she begrudgingly agrees to reenter her families high society. Through this, she learns some interesting things about some people from her path, and stumbles upon yet another plot against her from the one responsible for her attack. These machinations keep bringing war closer and closer and it will take everything Merit has to prepare to protect her house.

As if the constant plots against her and her house were not enough, her vampire side keeps trying to take over, something she senses is not normal for her kind. For fear of banishment she keeps this inner turmoil to herself which ultimately risks her safety as well as the others around her. This fear "humanizes" her and makes her all the more endearing. For all her strengths she has just as many weaknesses making her a very realistic character.

Morgan, the newly appointed master of the rival house whose ex-master was responsible for Merit's attack, continues to try and woo Merit. Try as she might, she cannot make herself feel that spark she feels for Ethan. Even though she knows that path can only lead to destruction she continues to find herself inexplicably drawn to him. He of course tries to continue his stubborn refusal of their chemistry but as the book progresses it seems he is loosing his will to fight more and more. The two are wrong for each other, yet so completely right. Only time will tell if the two have a chance at the potential I see between them.

Merit's character goes through some major changes in this book and as she sinks further into the vampire world her personality starts to change as well. Even though this is a natural progression as she is no longer human, it is still sad to see the inevitable distancing between her and her friends. It will take a lot of work and understanding for all parties to come to an acceptance about her new identity, and I just hope she does get left alone without any support.

This book was every bit as good as the first one and once I picked it up I just could not put it down. I highly recommend this both this book and the first installment if you haven't read it. Merit's story will be sure to impress.

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Friday Night Bites: A Chicagoland Vampires Novel